Two pregnant women remain on board the rescue ship

The Italian Coast Guard has evacuated a total of four people from humanitarian rescue ship Sea-Eye 4 on Friday noon. Among those who were medically evacuated was an 8-month pregnant woman, who has some complications and can no longer feel her baby.

A total of 494 individuals were rescued by Sea-Eye 4 over the past week, of whom the majority are in a stable condition. However, there are many patients who require more comprehensive care than it could be provided on board by the three-person medical team.

Four people had to be medically evacuated by the Italian Coast Guard, the German humanitarian NGO said on Friday.

One patient who was evacuated is eight months pregnant, but has complications and can no longer feel her baby. She also has burns on her legs. Another person has a broken hand and needs an X-ray and further treatment. One person with epilepsy ran out of long-term medication. A fourth evacuated person is suffering from severe burns.

Overall, several patients have burns and some patients had inhaled fumes from fuel on the boats. Many patients are in physical discomfort as a result. Some people show signs of severe exhaustion and even trauma. Other patients were treated for hypothermia.

After the evacuation of a pregnant woman, two pregnant women are now still on board. One woman is eight months pregnant and one woman is four months pregnant. Their condition is currently stable.

“With such a high number of vulnerable people on board, there is also a high demand for medical care, which our medical team cannot cover on its own in the long term. Thanks to our cooperation with the Bonn-based aid organization German Doctors, we are very well positioned for first aid and emergency situations – but not all further treatments and necessary examinations can be carried out in our onboard hospital.”

“Currently, for example, we are treating many people with wounds and burns caused by contact with a salt-water fuel mixture in the boats, so that our dressing material is running low. To avoid further medical evacuations, all people on board need a port of safety and medical assistance as soon as possible,” Sea-Eye’s chair Gordon Isler said.

490 rescued people remain on board the Sea-Eye 4.